Sunset Touches My Soul

as the saying goes no pain... no gain, biking has renewed my spirit, my legs are happy spinning up the hills. i saw a message yesterday before my ride that said "pain is temporary" very true. i have made that my biking model. i tell myself that over and over up the hard steep hills. (yes north carloina has steep hills) i rode until the sun set last night, i was overwhelmed with the beauty of it. lance armstrong's first book "it's not about the bike" says it best, it is not about the bike, for me it is about the freedom it brings me. like i say bicycles have no walls. i climb and climb to reach the summit and when i finally peak the last crest of the hill i find that, it was on the way up that i learned about myself, NOT at the top. to many people are blinded by the victory of a summit. sir edmond hillary said "it's not the mountain (summit) we conquer but ourselves" how many times do i want to give up, to stop, to coast to the side of the road and get off my bike? i have had this feeling but i have not given up, to give up is to lose. i must continue to push myself to what i believe i can do. to what i believe i can conquer. life is sort of like that, like riding a bike, to keep my balance i must keep moving. keep on keeping on PAIN IS TEMPORARY!